


Shut Up

by divenire



Series: Prompt Project [22]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Arguments, Derek is the one who is all weird about things in this one, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-21
Updated: 2012-10-21
Packaged: 2017-11-16 18:05:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/542299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/divenire/pseuds/divenire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek doesn't understand why Stiles likes him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shut Up

Things, Derek thinks, have been going well. Okay, maybe well is too strong a word. But not terrible, and that's a definite improvement. He has an actual pack now and he and Stiles… well, he and Stiles.. he's not sure what they are, but they're not nothing and that's something, sort of, right?

So he's completely shocked when one day, out of the blue (or at least it is to him) when Stiles shows up at his house with a sad look on his face and eyes that are brighter than normal.

And then, Stiles says it. "We need to talk." And that's all he says, those four words and as he says them there's no arm flailing, no hand movement, no explanation. Just four words.

And that's how Derek knows he's really in trouble.

They argue for hours until they finally reach that point where they're past all the pretense and the silly fights about stupid things that don't matter and they're down to the real heart of the argument.

"At some point we've got to be something other than the boy who talks too much and the man who blames himself for everything. And you're never going to take that step. Are you?" says Stiles.

And Derek, as he's been doing this whole time, well he just shrugs.

He knows he has to say something, though. He opens his mouth, says, "I…" and he stops. He doesn't know what to say. He never knows what to say. That's the problem.

So instead of trying to express himself he just shrugs again.

"You what? You what exactly? Could you please for once speak and say what you're thinking because do you know how tiring it is having to guess everything based on your facial expressions?" Stiles says and his voice is a step away from a shout.

At this Derek scowls, his brows drawing down into one big fat line and a crease appearing between them.

Stiles smiles, but it's dark. "You know, I've been working on cataloguing all of your different looks. And that one's #76. It means you're confused. That's a shock, you confused about something."

Derek glares, his eyes tightening around the corners and the muscles in his jaw twitching. He wants… he wants to… he doesn't know. If Stiles would just…

Stiles eyes' narrow and he said, "Look number #18. That one means you're a little annoyed."

Derek frowns, his eyes becoming half-lidded and his lips pursing just a little. He wants to explain himself, but…

"Look number #27. That one means shut up Stiles, I'm thinking. I would shut up if you'd tell me what you're thinking."

Finally, Derek says, "I'm thinking that if you understand me so well why don't you understand this isn't really something I do?"

"That was it?"

"I don't do well with this talking thing, or maybe you've noticed."

Stiles crosses and then quickly uncrosses his arms. "I've noticed. So what? That gives you an excuse to never say anything at all?"

That has him stumped, but he tries to actually say that. Instead he says, " I… I don't know."

Stiles huffs and then he scowls and he says, "You know what I know? I am so done with this. I am so done with you. I am so done with interpreting every little look, every little touch, every little thing you do. Because it's obvious that you're just never going to do anything about any of it."

Finally, Derek finds a decent counter argument. "Well, why don't you -" Stiles cuts him off. Of course he does. "Bring it up? I've tried. I've tried about eight times now and every time I do you just change the subject, you do something that makes me… that makes me… You know what, no. I'm done here."

Stiles turns and leaves and Derek doesn't stop him.

—-

Several hours later, when Stiles is just about to get into bed and go to sleep, Derek crawls in through his window.

"What part of I'm done do you not get?" Stiles says without bothering to look over at Derek.

Stiles sighs, like he's irritated with himself. "I was just about to close and lock the window, too."

Derek walks over to the edge of the bed but then takes a few steps back. He almost leaves. He stands there for about ten seconds, just fighting his urge to leave. Instead, he says, "For once, shut up."

Stiles gives him an indignant look. "Why should I? No, really, give me one reason why I should."

Derek glares and reaches out and puts a hand over Stiles mouth. He leans in.  
"Because I have something to say."

He leans back and takes his hand away from Stiles mouth.

He takes a long moment to focus, to think. He's got to say this right and he's got to say this now. "I don't get you, okay? I don't understand anything you do to begin with but you… you… you seem insistent on just being around. Just showing up. All the damn time. And I don't get it. Why?"

"What do you mean?"

Derek glares. "Not done talking."

Stiles huffs at this, but for once, says nothing.

"You're intelligent, you're clever, you're determined, you're loyal, you care about people. You're kind and passionate and you have this habit of drawing people together. And me? I'm a jackass. On a good day. I'm a fuck up. I'm rude, I'm difficult and I can't for the life of me figure out how to not drag everybody down around me. So, why?"

Stiles looks like he's about to have an aneurism and Derek wonders why, but he's not about to let that derail him, not right now. He always feels that way around Stiles, though. Like he's a train that's just being thrown clear of the tracks. He both loves and hates that someone else is capable of doing that to him.

After a moment of awkward, painful silence, Stiles says, "You should add impossibly hard on yourself to that list because you really don't get it, do you?"

"That's what I just said, didn't I? I don't get you."

"No, the person you don't get is yourself. You might be a jerk, you might be gruff and difficult. But you're also more determined than anyone I've ever met. You're stronger than anyone I've ever met. I've never seen anyone have the level of shit thrown at them that you have and keep on going."

Stiles pauses, and bites his lower lip to keep from smiling.

"And you… you don't even act like it's that complicated, like what you're doing is all that difficult. You just take it all and keep going and you never complain, even if you've got more reason to than anyone else."

Stiles smiles now and it's a very earnest sort of look.

"I… I talk a lot. And I can't help it. I'm always thinking about eight different things at once and I can't help it, can't turn it off. Unless… you're around. You… I don't know what it is but you… you just… you make it all stop. You just… just by being there, you just… make it stop."

Derek blows out a breath and looks down to hide the smile on his face. He doesn't… how could… He is definitely derailed this time, but he still manages to come up with, "So I guess you're not so done with me after all?"

Stiles just rolls his eyes, moves over in bed and tells Derek to shut up.


End file.
